Please take a moment and make a financial contribution to TheFunded. If we have helped you, help us with resources to further grow the both the site and our entrepreneur training program, The Founder Institute.

406 Ventures CERTIFIED

Firm Rating:

Firm Homepage:

FIRM OVERVIEW: Medium Private VC founded in 2005 based out of Boston, USA (US East)

FIRM DESCRIPTION: .406 Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm that invests in innovative Information Technology (“IT”) and services companies founded by the finest entrepreneurs. We are a veteran team of industry entrepreneurs, operators and investors who apply real world experience, deep industry knowledge and networks, and strong company-building skills to create value for our entrepreneurs and investing partners.

Posted by
trc
on 2014-05-28

PUBLIC:

I have known Larry for over a year, and greatly admire and appreciate his willingness and ability to roll up his sleeves and help me grow and scale my company. His areas of operating and industry expertise are highly valued by not only me, but also my leadership team and my board of directors. Larry is a great friend, advisor and mentor for any company that is looking to change the world for the better. His partners at .406 also add great value in connecting businesses with potential opportunities.
I highly recommend Larry and his partners at .406 to any company at any stage that might be looking for business insights or operating expertise in growing and scaling their business.

I have to agree with the comments of previous posters. I know Larry and he is one of the worst VCs around. He really doesn't belong. He should go back to being a controller or just retire. He had some good luck that made him some money without being good - typical boom tech story of late 90s by being at the right place when someone way overpaid and no value was created, but he was just crunching unrealistic forecast numbers.

I believe that this firm has no depth. If Maria leaves, I don't see anything there and I think it would be over. Would prefer a firm with a couple more successful partners - Their LPs probably would as well. Just my guess/ opinion.

Posted by
subpixel
on 2011-09-27

PUBLIC:

Pitched Graham Brooks and found him to be very insightful and listened more than I was lead to believe a VC should. He reviewed our opportunity with the rest of the partners within the week and responded the next day. While they passed on us due to us being too early stage, he provided detailed notes on why they passed and what they would look for in the future. He then introduced us to another of their portfolio companies as a potential technology partner. All in all it was a very positive experience which helped us refine our pitch and focus our efforts.

Posted by
amrith
on 2011-05-28

Posted by
Anonymous
on 2011-05-05

PUBLIC:

.406 invested in my company and sits on my board, so I have worked closely with them. These folks are the real deal. They are smart, perceptive and offer great operational support. The team works closely together and all directors and principals have contributed something to my company – whether it is customer leads, new hire referrals, operational support, or strategic advice. Liam has a wealth of knowledge to draw on and knows when to share it and when to bite his tongue. Maria has a great knack of cutting to the chase, identifying the key issue, and helping me focus my plan. Their network is strong and they are generous in connecting me to key folks. Greg and Graham have both helped me – onsite, rolling up their sleeves on both tactical and strategic issues. I have been lucky to use them like free McKinsey-type consultants on call whenever I want – what a value. I have not gotten this level of operational support from any other VC I have worked with. They are tough negotiators, but all VCs I’ve worked with are. So far they have a great track record, and they are keeping their fund small so the LPs like them and are continuing to invest with them.

We initially met with Greg Dracon and were quickly impressed by his informed questions and insights (he was well prepared). Greg set a follow up meeting that included Maria Cirino and Graham Brooks. Even though there wasn’t a fit, Maria proactively followed up and made a high quality introduction at a “hard-to-crack” large prospective client/partner, which resulted in a fast call back and a meeting at our offices. The 406 team has since made other valuable intros. All of this with a “no”, I can only imagine how great they are as an official part of the team. You can bet that 406 will be my first stop next time I’m up at bat -- pun intended ;)

Posted by
sethrosen
on 2010-09-16

PUBLIC:

I pitched Maria Cirino and Graham Brooks several times. Really had an exceptional experience. They were a recommendation to us from a friend, which is what put them on our radar screen initially (they are not typically known around Boston as a firm focused on straight consumer internet, but I had heard some very compelling things about Maria as an operator from several folks who know her well).

Graham took the initiative to really dig into our business so that he could get a good initial feel for what we were up to. Super nice guy.

Ultimately, they weren't a good fit for our business, but they were incredibly helpful with numerous relevant introductions (including a fellow who ended up on our Advisory Board). At the end of the day, we secured some very valuable introductions and a relationship with this fund for our future endeavors. Time well spent. I would have no reservation recommending them.

Posted by
Andrew Menter
on 2010-04-29

Posted by
woodfield
on 2010-03-17

PUBLIC:

We submitted our proposal to them with only a distant referral. 2-3 weeks later their associate called, left a message, I called him back and left a message, and he subsequently called me back. They made a good effort to get back to me, in spite of the fact they were passing. Their partners had already reviewed our material. They gave me 2-3 reasons, which I understood. In short, a very courteous, professional response from them.

I've been working with Liam for a while and have found him to be a true partner. He's incredibly nice, always generous with his time, and consistently supportive. He seems to have a knack for pattern matching with previous experiences and is impressively perceptive in dealing with subtle aspects of tough problems. Adds a ton of value. Knows the energy, healthcare, and education spaces well.

Our company was recently acquired, and .406 led by Maria Cirino was our only institutional investor. Maria and her associate Graham Brooks filled a gap in a technology-laden team with her strong sales and marketing sense. Her contributions as a board member were insightful and entrepreneur friendly. Even though she preferred to continue on and build the business, she respected the founders' preference when presented with an option for early exit. Her negotiating skills throughout our acquisition were awe-inspiring. Maria helped increase the value of our company by an order of magnitude, and provided an incredible learning experience for us in doing so.

Posted by
philipph81
on 2010-02-10

PUBLIC:

We were connected to 406v by a close friend and colleague. Met with Larry and Graham. We'd been following them for some time. Word around the Boston area is that they are the "goldman" of small shops. They have shown us no reason to refute that assertion thus far.

We pitched, they gave us a quick "no for now," granted we are a tad early for them. Larry is well-known and well-respected. We have talked to many of the class "a" guys around town and Larry ranks right up there. What sets 406 apart is their operating experience. These guys have been there, especially Larry. We'd like to have them on board in the future, so hopefully they keep track of us and stay connected. In any case, we've seen and talked to alot of VCs and Angels and have had some offers (none of which we wanted to take - fund not reputable, no operating experience, bad deal terms etc.). We'd most certainly work with 406 given what we've heard and seen. They are among our top choices moving forward, and rank with the Sequioias, BVPs, et. al. in my mind from a small deal team standpoint.

Posted by
Hale-Bopp
on 2010-02-05

PUBLIC:

I have been working for a number of years with Liam Donohue at 406 (and his predecessor fund) through 2 rounds of funding, and can say first hand that he and his partners are sophisticated, pragmatic and constructive in dealing with early and mid-stage companies. The difference between these folks and other VC's we've worked and had exposure to is stark to say the least.

Posted by
Patel, Faruk A
on 2010-02-03

PUBLIC:

Over the past month or so I have been pitching greenyogi.com to Investors (over dozen of them) on the east coast.

Because of the complexity of our strategy, our approach is a bit unconventional and lengthy. Even then Graham took the time to understand our approach. He asked candid questions which would have real world and implementation cost implications. All this conversation was over a few lengthy emails.

The entire process was to the point, quick and meaningful. At the end of the dialogue, I/we learnt more from Graham alone than from all the other investors put together.

Because of Grahams belief that "Complex strategies, which are delivered in a simple manner - are very hard to replicate", his apt insight of the marketplace and candid attitude towards getting things done - I would work with him and his organization even if I have to give up a few pennies here or there.

Posted by
anon
on 2009-07-21

PUBLIC:

I recently pitched Maria. If other VC worked this way an entrepreneur's life would be a lot easier when going out to VC. The came to the meeting obviously having read the executive summary and pre-read the slide deck. We quickly went into educated and competent questions about the technology, team, market and strategy. The meeting was efficient, quick and continuously interactive.

Posted by
cigarwine
on 2009-05-18

PUBLIC:

Meet with Liam and Greg. Great guys. Incredibly professional and prepared for our meeting. The deal was not for them right now (too early stage) but would definitely put them high on the list for the future. Interactions were capped off with a personal phone call from Greg with a full explanation for their reasons for the pass. Cant ask for more than that.

Posted by
markgold
on 2009-01-11

PUBLIC:

As a portfolio company of .406 i can only sing their praises. The whole team (and especially Maria and Greg) are very helpful with their professional and insightful feedback and constant proactive stream of valuable introductions. Equally as important, they are pragmatic, down-to-earth, unassuming, courteous, and genuine. It was a pleasure to pitch to them and negotiate the deal, and even more so to subsequently have them as partners on the board. Highly recommended!

Posted by
davidshay
on 2009-01-08

PUBLIC:

.406 is a young VC investing out of its first fund. It was started by three operators who grew companies from the idea stage to multi-million dollar exits. They surely get it. Pitching to them was quick and efficient, and closing too. On an ongoing basis they provide much support and assistance. Great guys to work with.

Posted by
poptech
on 2008-07-17

PUBLIC:

Pitched to Greg Dracon. He originally saw our technology as a fit with their portfolio. After the pitch, Greg did not see a fit to their portfolio's customer base. By the end of the call, he gave us the answer.